Person who jumped perimeter fence is hit and killed by Frontier plane during takeoff on Denver runway, airport says

 

One person was struck and killed by a Frontier Airlines plane two minutes after jumping a perimeter fence and crossing a runway at Denver International Airport late Friday, the airport said.

The pedestrian, who has not been identified, is not believed to be an airport employee, the airport said in a statement.

Flight 4345, an Airbus A321, was departing from Denver en route to Los Angeles and carried 224 passengers and seven crew members, Frontier Airlines said in the statement.

There are about 36 miles of perimeter fence surrounding the airport. An inspection after the incident found the fence was intact, but the airport said it will perform an “incident analysis” in the coming days and review its perimeter security program.

The airport said it uses video surveillance and a “combination of technology” to monitor the area and performs “continuous perimeter fence inspections.”

The runway has reopened and passengers evacuated from the plane were placed on other flights, according to the airport.

12 people injured on plane

“The aircraft reportedly struck a pedestrian on the runway during takeoff,” the airline said. The incident happened at 11:19 p.m. local time, according to the airport. The flight had been scheduled to depart at 10:39 p.m.

“Smoke was reported in the cabin and the pilots aborted takeoff. Passengers were then safely evacuated via slides as a matter of precaution,” the statement said.

A brief engine fire was quickly extinguished by the Denver Fire Department, the airport said in a statement early Saturday.

Emergency crews responded to the scene and passengers were taken to the terminal. Twelve people reported minor injuries and five were transported to local hospitals, according to the airport.

Cervantes speaks with KCNC.

KCNC

Passenger Jose Cervantes said he had just started feeling the plane tilt up when he heard a thud.

“I looked to my right, and I just see the right wing just on fire and like, it’s exploding,” Cervantes told CNN affiliate KCNC. “The aircraft lands back down, and they kind of like swivel side to side, and then they stop, shut it off right away, and then the cabin starts to fill up with smoke.”
Updated May 11, 2026

Surveillance footage shows person on runway before Frontier jet collision at Denver airport